Split wide open in Hyderabad cricket

Updated: 24 August 2007 12:44 IST

The Hyderabad Ranji side is struggling since eight of their players have joined the ICL.

Written by NDTVSports

Read Time: 2 mins

Hyderabad:

The Hyderabad Ranji side is struggling since eight of their players have joined the ICL. The reason given by them is that the administrators were favouring certain players due to which more deserving candidates had to warm the bench instead of taking the field.

It is a bad time for Hyderabad cricket. Not only is its cupboard almost bare with eight Ranji players joining the ICL. They have accused Hyderabad's cricket administrators of running an autocratic show.

Former India player and national selector Shivlal Yadav, his son Arjun and brother Rajesh are in the firing line.

Training their guns on them are these eight players who cited favouritism in Hyderabad cricket as the reason why they joined the Indian Cricket League.

"Though we perform, they push only one person. Everyone knows who he is. He is Shivlal Yadav's son, Arjun Yadav. Everyone is scared that they will lose their place in the side so no one protests," said Kaushik Reddy, Hyderabad's ICL player.

Shivlal, who is the secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, was not available for comment. His colleagues said the association does not discriminate among players.

"Trying to give any form of extra attention to any player is not done by any association. It is only an apprehension," said G Vinod, President, HCA.

Even though the BCCI has slammed the doors on these players, at least one of them, former India under-19 captain Ambati Rayudu, still hopes to play for the country.

"I am not giving up the opportunity to represent the country. I am an Indian like any of you," said Rayudu.

The players will now travel to Chennai for a camp next week and the start of a new innings.